Northwood school levy squeaks by

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NORTHWOOD — Northwood students can expect to move into a new school in less than three years.
A combined tax to build a new PK-12 school passed by 17 votes Tuesday, with 671 in favor (50.64 percent)
and 654 opposed (49.36 percent).
The small margin of victor won’t trigger a recount, similar to what happened in November, but
Superintendent Greg Clark will check with the Board of Elections to determine the number of provisional
ballots cast.
“This could drag out a while again,” he said this morning.
The same levy request ultimately failed in November by two votes, after provisional ballots were counted.
Before that, it was being defeated by five votes.
Taxpayers will pay a combined 0.25-percent earned income tax and a 4.9-mill property tax.
Clark said voter turnout was “huge for this type of election in Northwood.”
“Our community voiced their opinions.”
The Ohio Schools Facilities Commission will help fund construction of the new school.
OSFC will spend $11.55 million for the new $33.02 million school, with Northwood paying the $21.46
million balance.
The plan calls for Olney, Lark and Northwood elementaries to be torn down. The high school will be
partially torn down with the common spaces, including the gymnasium and auditorium, maintained for
continued community and student use.
The new school would be built on the Lemoyne Road campus.
While Fanning/Howey were the pre-bond architects, the firm won’t necessarily be hired to design the new
building, according to Clark.
He estimated a year of planning with construction starting in the spring of 2015 and the building
completed in fall 2017.
“Now the real work begins,” he said.

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